Running To Stand Still
by Fasiha
Summary: Remember when Barry couldn't do anything but let Mardon and James kill him so that 100 families could be safe? Well here's my take on how it felt and what happened after. (Barry whump)


**_Author's Note: This is my version of a scene in Season 2, episode 9. The one where Trickster (James)_**

 ** _and Weather Wizard (Mardon) are about to kill Barry and Barry risks his life for the 100 families. Just a little in detail and more realistic of how he feels. Hope you enjoy!_**

"You didn't think I'd let you hurt all these people, did you?" Barry asked as the crowd ran away from the scene.

"No, of course not," Mark Mardon said, standing up with a smirk tugging on his lips. "But I bet you're gonna let me hurt you."

Barry's face turned into one of confusion just as something skidded to a stop by his feet. His gaze fell down upon a neatly wrapped Christmas present in red and green.

"Feliz Navidad!" A familiar shrill voice said and Barry's head spin up to see James Jesse (a.k.a the trickster) wearing Santa clothes and sitting in a high chair. "Time for a real war on Christmas," the man said excitedly, chuckling to himself.

Barry glanced down at the box again before looking up at Mardon. "What is this?"

Mardon smirked. "That is a box with a bomb in it."

Barry felt his heart sink.

"Yup, I've handed about 100 of them today," James said, looking satisfied as he crossed his feet against the other. "It feels so good to give," he said with a satisfied expression.

"You see, right now, there are 100 random children who have each taken home a box, just like that one, and are shoving it under their Christmas tree," Mardon said. "There's no way for you to get to all of them, even if you know where to look."

Barry shook his head. "No. Please don't do this."

Mardon grinned. "Who me? No, there's no way I can do this." He pointed a finger at him. "No, that's up to you. I'm happy just to take your life."

Barry clenched his hand tightly around the Wizard's Wand.

"So this is how it's gonna be," Mardon continued. "You are gonna stand there and let me end you."

Barry averted his gaze to the ground, knowing where this was going. And he didn't like it.

"Very publicly and very painfully," Mardon said, looking him dead in the eye. "And I'll let everybody live."

Barry heard James chuckle from behind. "But," Mardon said. "if I see even a little flicker of electricity on you," he stepped closer and Barry looked up, "the casket makers in this town are gonna have a very merry Christmas."

Barry swallowed, his grip tight on the wand. He had no choice.

"So Flash," Mardon said, grinning. "What's it gonna be?" He held his hand out. "Huh?"

Barry clenched his jaw, feeling deafeated and helpless. The thought of those innocent kids opening their Christmas presents with joy on their faces made him lift the wand and place it in Mardon's hand.

"There you go," Mardon said and James chuckled loudly.

Barry bit his lip as he watched Mardon form a ball of ice and before he could blink, the Weather Wizard threw it at him. It hit him square in the chest and the breath was momentarily taken out of his lungs as he fell backwards on the hard ground. He heard distant voices in his earpiece and he hoped his team was trying to find some kind of solution. Barry sat up, about to stand up when he heard the icy sound. He looked up just in time to see the ball of ice getting thrown at him and he groaned as the impact sent him backwards again, shattered ice falling everywhere. He breathed heavily, his head beginning to spin. James laughed loudly.

Barry sat up and panted, his heart hammering in his chest. He looked up and saw Mardon smiling slyly at him as he sucked the air in the wand and Barry yelled as he was thrown upwards by the wind. He felt himself free falling and he wanted to turn around and speed away, but he was too afraid. A hundred children's lives were dependent on him, he couldn't let them dow-

Electrify cackled before it hit him and he gritted his teeth hard, feeling his body being shocked by the currents. Every hair on his body stood up and goosebumps formed on his skin. He felt like screaming, but no sound came out and he could hear his heartbeat in his ear. That's when he suddenly felt the impact of the ground hit his back and he groaned, feeling the familiar feeling of broken ribs. He squeezed his eyes shut, legs still shaking from the electricity shock.

"Flash, you all right?" Mardon mocked, walking towards him with a chuckling James behind him. "You don't look so good."

Barry forced himself to sit up and he crouched on the ground, the cause of his groaning being his broken ribs and the dull ace left on his body.

"I know, I'll give you a jolt."

Electricity cackled and Barry already knew what was coming before it did, his heart pounding with fear as another jolt of electricity struck him, this one fiercer than the other. He gritted his teeth in order to prevent a scream as he felt the living day lights being sucked out of him. Barry couldn't help and it and he let out a scream as every nerve in his body felt like exploding. The shock ended and he slumped to the ground, his breathing erratic and his eyes shutting closed. Every nerve in his body tingled and he groaned, the heat of his suit burning in his skin.

"I'm all done," he heard Mardon say and he opened his eyes, blinking a few times. James stepped forward with a wicked grin. "He's all yours."

Barry swallowed the spit in his mouth and coughed, his head swimming. He tried to sit up, but fell down again. "Oh god," he groaned, every muscle in his body hurting, his ribs making it painful to breath.

James chuckled, coming forward to kneel down beside him. "To think the city worships you!" He pulled out a knife and Barry swallowed the lump in his throat, barely able to keep his eyes open. His heart pounded with fear and despite him surviving every time, he somehow knew this was the end.

"But when I kill the flash," James continued, a wicked glint his eyes. "They'll realize that I'm the man who saved Central City."

He laughed, grabbing Barry's arm in a tight grip as he lowered the knife to the area above his heart. Barry blinked back tears as the man chuckled, teasing with the tip of the knife pricking his suit. Barry knew he could trap James in an instant and take the knife because he would have the element of surprise, but again the thought of 100 families having their Christmas destroyed by their children's presents being bombs kept him still.

"Goodbye Flash," James said, pressing the tip of the knife beside where his heart was. Barry gasped, his heart hammering in his chest as a pain shot through his chest. James cackled, about to press the knife sideways to end the beat of his heart when suddenly there were popping sounds in the sky. Barry could barely keep his eyes open and he blinked a few times as he watched something that looked like fireworks in the sky. James seemed to notice it too and he turned around to the noise. "Was that you?" he asked Mardon.

"No! Gut him!" Mardon snarled.

"Alright, alright, don't tell me what to do," James said angrily, turning around. He laughed at Barry's face which was screwed up in pain and reached towards the knife when suddenly Barry's earpiece cackled. "Barry, the bombs are gone!"

Barry's eyes widened and just before James could grab the knife and end his life, the Flash rolled away. Barry crouched a meter away and pulled the knife out of his chest, gritting his teeth and drawing blood. He stifled a groan and staggered to his feet. James's eyes were wide and Barry's head pounded as he pinned the man to the lamppost as quick as lightning and tied him up with the Christmas lights. He then ran over to Martin and punched the guy in the face, quickly grabbing the wand and sucking his powers away. Barry panted heavily, hands resting on his knees. His head throbbed and he let out a soft groan, his broken ribs making it really hard to breathe. He touched the area under his chest with his fingertips, wincing as the area hurt painfully.

Suddenly, police sirens resounded in the now quiet night and a door slammed shut. Patty walked out with a large gun and Barry shook his head, spreading his arms and vibrating his vocal cords. "Detective, it's taken care of. They can't hurt anyone else."

But Patty didn't aim it at Mardon, she instead aimed the gun at Barry. Barry's eyes widened in the last minute as metal wrapped tightly around his leg, ropes digging into the ground. Barry tried to pull his leg away, but sadly super strength wasn't his area of expertise. He looked up to see Patty pulling out a gun and cocking it at Mardon.

"Detective, what're your doing?" he said, straining to pull his leg free. He felt drained and helpless as he stood there, bound to the ground.

"This is for my father," Patty said, walking forward with the gun pointed at Mardon's chest.

Barry's eyes widened. "No, no, no detective! Detective no you can't do this."

"He killed my father for a couple hundred dollars," Patty said angrily. She looked Mardon in the eye. "What was so important that my father had to loose his life!?"

"Mardon will get what he deserves!" Barry promised.

"He deserves to die!"

Barry shook his pounding head. "Not this way." His head was aching badly and he could already feel his chest wound starting to heal as cloth gathered at the wound site. He felt dizzy and he just hoped he'd be able to convince Patty not to kill him.

Mardon smirked from where he lay on the ground. "You don't have it in you, pretty lady."

"I've been asking myself that question for the last four years," Patty said firmly. "And now I know."

Barry tried to stand up but felt too tired, and of course the metal was holding him in a crouched position. "Patty no! You pull that trigger, your life ends too. You will go to prison."

He could see hesitation clouding her eyes as she stared at Mardon with despise.

"Everyone and everything in your life will be taken from you," Barry continued. "Mardon can't take anything else from you unless you let him." Tears gathered in Patty's eyes. "I didn't know your father, but I know that he wouldn't want this."

Patty sniffed and Barry sighed. "Not over him. Please."

Patty turned Mardon over with her foot. "Mark Mardon, you're under arrest."

Barry sighed in relief. Patty handcuffed Mardon and released Barry's foot. Barry immediately felt unbalanced and blinked a few times to clear his vision and straighten himself up. He managed to smile at Patty despite his aching body. "Good job, detective."

He then turned around and sped on his way to S.T.A.R labs. On the way, he couldn't help but feel dizzy and lightheaded. Just as he reached the lab, the world began to spin and Barry had to stop. He tried to take deep and even breaths as his eyes began to droop and his head pounded harshly behind his eyes. He felt himself sway before he completely lost balance and fell to the ground, a groan escaping his lips at the impact of his broken ribs. He heard his earpiece cackle before he lost consciousness, Caitlin's worried voice asking him where he was and if he was okay.

 ** _Please review, should I continue?_**


End file.
